@Mic (and all the others who want to run 256b intros on modern hardware) :

Download a virtual machine (VirtualBox (intel) or VirtualPC (amd or older) ) and install ms-dos on it. It will run really faster than dosbox (almost same speed as guest cpu).
I know it requires a little more tweaking than DOSBox at first (specially if you want to use a soundcard) but once you have created and configurated your virtual machine its really easy to use. also: all of these products are free.

I watched it last night, then had a dream about it. In my dream there was a second part with a nice drawn image. I was trying to think of how the hell did they manage to squeeze all that into 4k. Then I woke up and remembered it was 256 bytes... :-)

What is it: implicit surfaces raymarching using binary search. The shapes get "blown up" according to step size, which fakes the ambient occlusion feel (also necessary for the bisection to work). Color is the number of missed probes minus log(last step size), which had the most bearable artifacts.

Windows version: I think it would fit in 1k easily – I was just playing with the effect before switching to asm. I'll update it and release the C source after Function.

wade: oh come on! 256 bytes, for fucks sake! to put it in terms you can relate to: think what kind of image at what resolution you could pixel an image with only 256b...?

I certainly have no criticism against this intro, but I'm not a coder so it means nothing to me. For all I know it could be using megabytes worth of libraries, Windows resources or some trick...I have no way of judging except from what I see.

Skate: I don't understand the code behind demos either, but there is some visual, atmospheric, entertainment, motivational or other value I can judge. With this I get none of the above, which was the point I was making.

I'll remember to spell everything out literally in future.

btw. Apologies everyone for having a different opinion! Feel free to have a little cry or hurl abuse my way.

I guess it's something special, but I'll have to take everyone's word for it as it did nothing for me.

Quote:

@Wade: I second BiTL. If you don't get it, you don't have to write a comment. Do you know what exactly "comment" means? "I'm deaf, so this music collection means nothing to me" is not a comment.

Wade comments use to hurt time to time, but, in this case, I believe it is a correct comment: he doesn't understand the technical part, and he doesn't feel anything with the visuals.

For me, thats completely ok. Also, this prod is a technical masterpiece and it doesn't matter what a non-technical expert person could think about it. If you show it to any not demoscene related, not coder and not computer enthusiast and they will probably think the same as Wade did. And that would not change at all that this prod is a true masterpiece.

Wade: well, the limit is 256 bytes and with no external resources in this case (except setting up graphics and keyboard checking)... you can balance artistic value vs. code porn only so much. I had to sacrifice movement for nicer colors in the party version ;). I went for the visuals in Symetrie, which has otoh very few coding tricks.

Texel: Thanks, you're spot on. I'm sure that it is indeed a technical masterpiece, but I'm just offering the superficial perspective of a non-technical onlooker.

rrola: Please don't take my comment negatively as it's not meant that way. It's clear you have done something amazing here from what is being said and as it's explained to me (in basic terms) the more impressive it sounds, but like you say, there's only so much of an artistic element you can fit into 256b and I accept that. If you every put your skills to a 4k or 64k intro, however, I'm sure I will be blown away. :)

Extra extra thumb up for the computer breakage persisting through a reboot. There's some weird shit going on here. Luckily a power cycle fixed it this time but I'm afraid next time I run it I'll get AIDS. And that's like having sex with Hitler. :(

This prod is a game changer -- it's affecting me in ways no prod ever has. Where is this coming from? I feel it is tapping into the inner workings of the universe and showing it to me on the screen. My brain says it is not possible to code this in 256b. But there it is!

Just brilliant. In light of some of the discussion above, it makes me realize it's unfortunate I don't appreciate technical work on other obscure platforms. DOS is totally obsolete, but, because I developed for it once upon a time, I feel it is still "real" -- and I have a good idea of the challenges. In any case, stunning, original work. Congratulations and well done!

This is so incredible. Maybe most people would call me a freak, but for me this is much more impressive than my recent viewing of Mona Lisa. I would have refused to believe that this would be possible. But no - there it is!

This prod is a game changer -- it's affecting me in ways no prod ever has. Where is this coming from? I feel it is tapping into the inner workings of the universe and showing it to me on the screen. My brain says it is not possible to code this in 256b. But there it is!
In light of some of the discussion above, it makes me realize it's unfortunate I don't appreciate technical work on other obscure platforms. Limewire DOS is totally obsolete, but, because I developed for it once upon a time, I feel it is still "real" -- and I have a good idea of the challenges. In any case, stunning, original work. Congratulations and well done!
This is not possible in 256b, so clearly I am dreaming and you are all figments of my imagination. When I wake up and you are all gone I just want you to know - this won.